Open government data portal set for launch

ABS-CBN News

MANILA - The government will launch its national open data website on November 27, the Palace announced Wednesday.

The site, data.gov.ph, will serve as repository for public national government datasets that can be easily accessed by the public.

It will be managed by the Open Data Task Force composed of Office of the Presidential Spokesperson, the Department of Budget and Management, and the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO).

PCDSPO Usec. Manolo Quezon earlier told ABS-CBNNews.com that the site will use easy-to-access file formats such as plain text files and comma-separated values for spreadsheets, compared to PDF files that are difficult for data analysts to process.

The task force has also announced a 2-day open data hackathon this November.

The event, called #KabantayNgBayan, will be open to IT developers and designers interested in creating innovative mobile or web-based applications utilizing government data.

It will be held in Sadoce, 12/F Smart Tower I, Ayala Avenue, Makati, on November 9 and 10, deputy Presidential spokesperson Valte said in a statement.

Registration for interested participants in the hackathon has started at data.gov.ph.

The event is open to groups of three to four with a mix of developers and designers, Valte said.

"The data to be used for this hackathon will center on the national government budget. The challenge will be to build applications that will present new ways to increase public awareness and track government spending," she added.

The event aims to produce apps that boost government performance and encourage the public to participate in good governance, specifically in the areas of public financial management, Valte said.

It is among events organized by the government leading up to the November launch of data.gov.ph.